Valve for a fuel delivery unit

ABSTRACT

A valve for a fuel delivery unit has a counterholder pressed into a housing. A spring is supported on the counterholder and is intended for prestressing a closing part against a valve seat. The valve according to the invention can be fitted in a particularly simple manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a pressure control valve for afuel delivery unit having a housing having a valve seat, a closing partarranged in the housing and movable against the valve seat, and a springwhich is supported on a counterholder connected to the housing forprestressing the closing part. The present invention further relates toa ventilation valve for a fuel delivery unit having a housing with avalve seat, a closing part arranged in the housing and movable againstthe valve seat, and a spring for prestressing the closing part, thespring having smaller dimensions than the closing part.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Valves having closing parts prestressed by springs are frequentlyused in known fuel delivery units as pressure control valves or asventilation valves and are known in practice. The housings of thesevalves are designed as cup-shaped deformations in a housing part closingthe delivery unit. The housing of the known pressure control valve ismade of a tubular design for accommodating the closing part, which isdesigned as a ball, and the spring. After the closing part and thespring are installed, the housing is closed by a counterholder which isdesigned as a cap. The counterholder has slots through which fuel flowsand centering elements for centering the spring and latching elements inthe housing. In the known ventilation valve, only the spring is locatedwithin the housing. The valve seat is arranged on an outer side of theend of the housing which lies opposite the counterholder. Componentslocated below the housing part of the delivery unit restrict the travelof the closing part. During installation, the travel of the closing partis restricted by a clamp.

[0005] A problem with the known valves is that they are complicated tofit and have components which are cost-intensive to manufacture. Forexample, the counterholder which is designed as a cap and the clamprequired for restricting the travel of the closing part are each verycomplicated components. Furthermore, the components of the known valvehave to be fitted precisely in their intended orientations. Thisrequirement for precise fit makes automatic installation of the valvesdifficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a valve for afuel delivery that is cost-effective to produce and may be easilyfitted.

[0007] The object of the present invention is met by a pressure controlvalve for a fuel delivery unit having a counterholder designed as a ballhaving a larger diameter than a closing part and a spring of the valve.

[0008] The counterholder is of particularly simple construction becauseof this design and may be manufactured cost-effectively and on a largescale. Furthermore, a spring is easily supported on the surface of thecounterholder. Furthermore, the present invention obviates therequirement for centering means for centering the spring. Duringinstallation, the closing part which is likewise generally designed as aball and the spring are inserted into the housing. The counterholderwhich is designed as a ball may then be automatically supplied andconnected to the housing, thereby allowing the valve according to thepresent invention to be fitted in a particularly simple manner.

[0009] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, thecounterholder may be reliably held in its envisaged position if it ispressed into the housing.

[0010] The installation of the counterholder may be further simplifiedif the housing includes a latching means for supporting thecounterholder.

[0011] The counterholder may be connected in a simple manner if thehousing has introducing slopes for the counterholder or if the optionallatching means have introducing slopes at the ends of the latching meanspointing away from the housing.

[0012] The housing or the latching means reliably holds thecounterholder in its envisaged position after installation if regions ofthe housing or latching means which face the counterholder arepan-shaped.

[0013] The counterholder which is designed as a ball may be penetratedby a plurality of channels in a star shape to enable fuel to flowthrough when the valve is opened. Alternatively, the construction of thecounterholder may be further simplified by arranging openings in thehousing between the closing part and the counterholder.

[0014] The object of the present invention is also met by a ventilationvalve for a fuel delivery unit having latching means for gripping aclosing part from behind. Furthermore, the latching means have a bearingregion for the support of the closing part in a position in which theclosing part is prestressed by a spring.

[0015] The ventilation valve according to this embodiment of the presentinvention does not require a clamp which is complicated to manufactureand to fit. The valve therefore includes a small number of components tobe fitted. During installation of the valve according to the invention,the ball may simply be pressed into the housing behind the latchingmeans after the insertion of the spring. The valve is then completelyfitted. This embodiment of the present invention obviates the need forcomponents which are adjacent to the housing part of the delivery unitto restrict the travel of the closing part. The housing part of thedelivery unit and the completely fitted valve according to the presentinvention may also be designed in a cost-effective manner as a prefittedcomponent.

[0016] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, thelatching means are designed in a structurally particularly simple manneras a hook-shaped design.

[0017] The valve, according to the invention, is designed in astructurally particularly simple manner if the latching means have, ontheir side facing the closing part, guide edges for the closing part.

[0018] The number of components of the valve according to the presentinvention which are to be fitted is further reduced if the latchingmeans are manufactured integrally with the housing. In the case of thepressure control valve and the ventilation valve, this design of thepresent invention reduces the manufacturing costs.

[0019] The counterholder or the closing part may be brought in a simplemanner into its envisaged position if the housing has introducing slopesfor the counterholder or the closing part or the ends of the latchingmeans pointing away from the housing have introducing slopes for thecounterholder or the closing part.

[0020] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, theinstallation of the counterholder or of the closing part behind thelatching means is further simplified by distributing a plurality oflatching means over the circumference of the closing part or of thecounterholder. The gaps between the latching means allow fuel or air toflow between the latching means such that openings are not required inthe housing.

[0021] Covers may be arranged between the latching means at a shortdistance therefrom for preventing fuel which is sloshing around in afuel tank on which the valve from affecting the movement of the closingpart.

[0022] Other objects and features of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood,however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes ofillustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, forwhich reference should be made to the appended claims. It should befurther understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scaleand that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended toconceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote similarelements throughout the several views:

[0024]FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a valve according to a firstembodiment of the present invention;

[0025]FIG. 1a is a partial sectional view of a valve according toanother embodiment of the present invention; and

[0026]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a valve according to yet anotherembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027]FIG. 1 shows a housing part 1 of a fuel delivery unit having avalve 2 arranged thereon and which is insertable into a fuel tank of amotor vehicle. The valve 2 is a pressure control valve and has a valvehousing 3. The valve 2 further includes a valve seat 4 and a closingpart 5 which is prestressed against the valve seat 4. A spring 6 isarranged within the valve housing 3 for prestressing the closing part 5against the valve seat 4. The spring is supported on a supportcomprising a counterholder 7 which is designed as a ball and is pressedinto the valve housing 3. The diameter of the counterholder 7 is largerthan the diameter of the spring 6 and the diameter of the closing part 5such that no part of the spring 6 or the closing part 5 projects beyondan area defined by a circumference of the counterholder 7. Duringinstallation of the valve 2, the closing part 5 is inserted togetherwith the spring 6 in the valve housing 3. The counterholder 7 is thenpressed into the valve housing 3. To simplify the pressing-in, aperipheral introducing slope 8 may be arranged at the free end of thevalve housing 3. Openings 9 are arranged in the valve housing 3 betweenthe counterholder 7 and the closing part 5. Furthermore, guide webs 10for guiding the closing part 5 may be arranged laterally in the valvehousing 3. During operation, the closing part 5 lifts off of the valveseat 4 counter to the force of the spring 6 when the pressure below theclosing part 5 exceeds a designated value. Fuel is permitted to flowthrough the valve 2 when the closing part 5 lifts off of the valve seat4. Instead of openings 9, the counterholder 7 may have openingstherethrough for allowing a flow of the fuel.

[0028]FIG. 1a shows an alternative embodiment in which the valve housing3 has a plurality of latching means 30, 31 arranged at a short distancefrom one another in the region of the counterholder 7 for holding thecounterholder in the valve housing 3. Fuel is thereby permitted to flowbetween the latching means when the valve 2 is open. The latching means30, 31 are pan-shaped in regions where they contact the counterholder.

[0029]FIG. 2 shows the housing part 1 of the fuel delivery unit with avalve 11 which is designed as a ventilation valve. The valve 11 has ahousing 12 with a spring 13 arranged in it. The housing 12 has acup-shaped design with a ventilation opening 14 arranged at one end anda valve seat 15 arranged at the other end. The spring 13 is supported atthe bottom end of the cup-shaped design and urges a closing part 16 awayfrom the valve seat 15 against a bearing region 17 arranged on latchingmeans 18, 19. The closing part 16 is arranged so that the latching means18, 19 grip the closing part 16 from behind. The latching means 18, 19have guide edges 20 in their regions facing the closing part 16. FIG. 2further shows that covers 21 are arranged between the latching means 18,19. In the open position which is shown, air can flow through theventilation opening 14 in the housing 12 past the closing part 16between the covers 21 and the latching means 18, 19. When a fillinglevel of fuel reaches the closing part 16, the latter is pressed againstthe valve seat 15 and closes the valve 11. Accordingly, the closing part16 has a lower density than the fuel. During installation of the valve11, the spring 13 is inserted into the housing 12 and the closing part16 is then pressed behind the latching means 18, 19. To simplify theinstallation of the closing part 16, the latching means 18, 19 haveintroducing slopes 22.

[0030] Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed outfundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferredembodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions andsubstitutions and changes in the form and details of the devicesillustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, itis expressly intended that all combinations of those elements whichperform substantially the same function in substantially the same way toachieve the same results are within the scope of the invention.Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements shownand/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment ofthe invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described orsuggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It isthe intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scopeof the claims appended hereto.

We claim:
 1. A valve for a fuel delivery unit, comprising: a housing having a valve seat; a closing part arranged in said housing and movable against said valve seat; a counterholder connected to said housing; and a spring supported on said counterholder and arranged for prestressing said closing part relative to said valve seat, wherein said counterholder comprises a ball having a diameter that is larger than a diameter of said closing part and a diameter of said spring.
 2. The valve of claim 1, wherein said counterholder is pressed into and held in said housing.
 3. The valve of claim 1, wherein said housing comprises latching means for supporting said counterholder in said housing.
 4. The valve of claim 3, wherein said latching means comprise regions facing said counterholder, said regions being pan-shaped.
 5. The valve of claim 1, wherein regions of said housing facing said counterholder are pan-shaped.
 6. The valve of claim 1, wherein said housing comprises openings arranged between said closing part and said counterholder.
 7. A valve for a fuel delivery unit, comprising: a housing having a valve seat; a closing part movable against said valve seat; a spring arranged in said housing for prestressing said closing part relative to said valve seat, said spring having smaller dimensions than said closing part; and latching means arranged on said housing for gripping said closing part from behind, said latching means having a bearing region, wherein said spring is arranged for prestressing said closing part against said bearing region.
 8. The valve of claim 7, wherein said latching means comprise hook-shaped elements.
 9. The valve of claim 7, wherein a side of said latching means facing said closing part comprises guide edges for said closing part.
 10. The valve of claim 7, wherein said latching means are an integral part of said housing.
 11. The valve of claim 7, wherein said latching means comprise ends pointing away from said housing comprising introducing slopes for said closing part.
 12. The valve of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of latching means distributed around a circumference of said closing part.
 13. The valve of claim 12, further comprising a cover arranged between each adjacent pair of said plural latching means at a distance therefrom.
 14. A valve for a fuel delivery unit, comprising: a housing having a valve seat; a closing part movable against said valve seat; a counterholder comprising a ball inserted in said housing; a spring arranged in said housing and supported against said support for prestressing said closing part relative to said valve seat, said ball having an outermost circumference covering said spring and said closing part arranged therebelow such that no part of said spring and closing part projects beyond an area defined by said circumference. 